Application 18/01134/OOBC

Details of Application: Out of Borough Consultation Outline planning permission for up to 1,000 new homes; an 80 bed extra care facility as part of the affordable housing provision; a new 2 form entry primary school (D1); expansion land for Park House Academy School; a local centre to comprise flexible commercial floorspace (A1-A5 up to 2,150sq m, B1a up to 200sq m) and D1 use; the formation of new means of access onto Monks Lane; new open space including the laying out of a new country park; drainage infrastructure; walking and cycling infrastructure and other associated infrastructure works. Matters to be considered: Access. West Council contact: Jake Brown Ref: 18/00764/OUTMAJ Please note the decision on this application is made by West Berkshire Council Date Registered 11 April 2018 (Subject to three year condition)

Location: Address: Sandleford Park Monks Lane Newbury Berkshire Ward: Parish: OS: 446852 164462

Applicant: Bloor Homes And Sandleford Farm Partnership

Case Officer: Katherine Fitzherbert-Green 01256 845716

RECOMMENDATION: It is RECOMMENDED that NO OBJECTION BE RAISED.

Planning Policy

The application comprises a consultation to a planning application submitted to West Berkshire Council for determination. The development plan for BDBC, comprising the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029, as well as relevant Supplementary Planning Documents and Guidance (SPDs and SPGs) and interim planning guidance, are therefore not applicable. Reference is made only to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (July 2018).

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (July 2018)

Section 2 (Achieving sustainable development) Section 5 (Delivering a sufficient supply of homes) Section 8 (Promoting healthy and safe communities) Section 9 (Promoting sustainable transport) Section 11 (Making effective use of land) Section 12 (Achieving well-designed places) Section 14 (Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change) Section 15 (Conserving and enhancing the natural environment) Section 16 (Conserving and enhancing the historic environment)

Description of Site

The application site comprises an area of approximately 114 hectares of agricultural land bounded to the north by Monks Lane and Newbury Rugby Club with residential land beyond. Monks Lane connects to the A339 Newtown Road in the east to the A343 Andover West at . Newbury College is adjacent to the eastern corner of the site, with Sandleford Priory located beyond on the eastern side of the A339. The western boundary is formed by Park House School with the southern boundary formed by hedgerows, tree belts and the River with agricultural land and dispersed residential development beyond. The boundary between the application site and New Warren Farm is defined by hedgerows and tree belts.

The application site is in agricultural use and contains several areas of ancient woodland dispersed throughout the site. The site has undulating topography, and generally slopes north to south towards the . It contains a central valley which runs north-west to south-east through the site.

Proposal

This outline planning application seeks permission for development across approximately two thirds of the wider Sandleford Strategic Site Allocation as allocated under Policy CS3 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy. The application considers the principle of development and access only with all other matters reserved. The development is to comprise:  up to 1,000 new homes;  an 80 bed extra care facility as part of the affordable housing provision;  a new 2 form entry primary school (D1);  expansion land for Park House Academy School;  a local centre to comprise flexible commercial floorspace (A1-A5 up to 2,150sq m, B1a up to 200sq m) and D1 use;  the formation of new means of access onto Monks Lane;  new open space including the laying out of a new country park;  drainage infrastructure; and  walking and cycling infrastructure and other associated infrastructure works.

Consultations

Environmental Health - No objection.

BDBC Highways - No objection.

Biodiversity – Comments that would expect to see a full Environmental Impact Assessment with the application.

Public Observations

None received.

Relevant Planning History

18/01133/OOBC Outline application for up to 500 new homes, Pending determination including 40% affordable, a 1 form entry primary school with land for its expansion to 2 form entry, replacement and/or expansion land for Park House Academy School, extra care elderly units as part of the affordable housing provision, access from Warren Road and emergency access from Kendrick Road, a recreational facility for families of children with special needs, green infrastructure including children's play areas and informal open space, pedestrian and cycle links through the site, sustainable drainage and other infrastructure. All matters reserved. West Berkshire Council contact: Jake Brown Ref: 18/00828/OUTMAJ Please note the decision on this application is made by West Berkshire Council

17/03399/OOBC Outline planning permission for up to 1000 new No further 20.12.2017 homes (Use Class C3); an 80 bed care housing action facility (use class C2) as part of the affordable housing provision; a new 2 form entry primary school(use class D1); a local centre to comprise flexible commercial floorspace (retail falling into use classes A1-A5 up to 2150sqm and business falling into use class B1a up to 200sqm); the formation of new means of access onto Monks Lane; new open space including the laying out of a new country park; drainage infrastructure; walking and cycling infrastructure and other associated infrastructure works. Matters to be considered: access

15/04290/OOBC Outline planning permission for up to 2000 new No further 16.11.2017 homes (C3); 80 bed extra care housing (C2); a action local centre to comprise flexible commercial floor space (Retails A1-A5 up to 2,150 sqm, business B1a up to 200 sqm) and community uses (D1), 2 No two form entry primary schools (D1), the formation of new means of access onto Monks Lane, Warren Road (to include part demolition of Park Cottage) and Newtown Road, Green Infrastructure comprising of the laying out of open space including a country park, drainage infrastructure, walking and cycling infrastructure and other associated infrastructure - with access only to be considered at this stage; and (2) detailed proposal for 337 of those dwellings on parcel of land immediately South of Monks Lane. Site Sandleford Park, Newtown Road, Newtown, Newbury - Jake Brown - 15/02300/OUTMAJ

16/00286/OOBC Hybrid application seeks planning permission No further 16.11.2017 for (1) Detailed proposal for 321 dwellings, action associated means of access and green infrastructure (no matters reserved); (2) Outline proposal for a two form entry primary school on a parcel of land immediately South of Monks Lane (all matters reserved) West Berkshire Council contact: Jake Brown Ref: 16/00106/OUTMAJ

Assessment

This submission is a neighbouring borough consultation with the application site positioned outside of the administrative boundary of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. The planning application has therefore been submitted to West Berkshire Council for determination and referred to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for comment due to the proximity to the authority boundary.

The main issue for consideration is whether the proposal would give rise to any strategic impacts on Basingstoke and Deane Borough.

Principle of development

The proposed development forms part of a strategic allocation for West Berkshire Council as set out within Policy CS3 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy. The development at Sandleford Park is integral to the implementation of the Core Strategy to provide up to 2,000 new homes and forms a substantial component of the future supply of housing in the District during the Core Strategy period. The new homes are to be delivered in conjunction with a sustainable and high quality mixed use development to include associated infrastructure, a primary school, retail facilities and business employment, green infrastructure and outdoor recreational space. No objection is raised to the principle of the development which would have regard to the requirements of Policy CS3 of the Core Strategy and give rise to no strategic implications to the delivery of development within the BDBC administrative area.

It would be for West Berkshire as the determining authority to assess the nature of the development having regard to matters such as affordable housing, housing mix and delivery of associated infrastructure in accordance with other relevant policies of the Core Strategy.

Impact on the character of the area/ design

Development at Sandleford Park would be visible from within the BDBC area however the wider landscape impact would have been a matter for consideration at the plan-making stage for the Core Strategy. Adoption of the Core Strategy would have accepted an inevitable change in the landscape character. No objection is therefore raised to the impact of the development upon the character of the area with the quantum of development commensurate with that envisaged by the Core Strategy noting that this outline planning application provides consideration for the principle of development and access only with matters of layout, scale and external appearance for determination at the reserved matters stage.

Impact on neighbouring amenities

The development site has a relationship to existing residential properties. However this application is in outline only and therefore in the absence of any final layout being known, no direct adverse harm upon amenity can be evidenced at this stage.

In the event that outline permission is granted, it would be for the Local Planning Authority would influence and determine how a reserved matters application comes forward having regard to the acceptability of the relationships between the existing and proposed development. This would additionally include giving consideration to the internal layout to ensure that the proposed properties in turn are provided with appropriate amenity through minimum garden depths and sizes and relationships. No strategic objection is raised to matters of amenity at this outline stage.

Traffic generation and highway safety

The development would be traffic generating with the need to accommodate all modes of vehicular transport as well as providing for non-vehicular modes of travel. The allocation of this site within the Core Strategy would have acknowledged and envisaged additional traffic from the site at the plan-making stage and the effects of access and transportation upon the local highway network. This would have also had consideration to the strategic highway network which extends into and through the BDBC area.

It is acknowledged that the development would create increases in volumes of traffic from the construction phase onwards. Once operational, the nature of the traffic volumes and types would change with the impacts of traffic being a matter for Hampshire County Council in conjunction with West Berkshire Council to address as the respective Highway Authorities.

The submission indicates that the development would principally be accessed via a new roundabout junction from Monks Lane together with a bell-mouth junction and a pedestrian link to the north of the site. Further vehicular access is to be provided from Warren Lane, through the development site subject of a separate planning application to the west and via a new access road to the east connecting to Newbury Road which sits outside of the application site. Pedestrian links are additionally provided to all boundaries providing accessibility to the wider area. Matters of the suitability of the highway to access the development having regard to the junction capability and the ability to serve the site by differing modes of transport, have not received any objection from the Highways Officer as to the impact upon the BDBC area, therefore no strategic objection is raised is highway terms at this outline stage.

Natural Environment

The site contains areas of ancient woodland and habitats of biodiversity interest. The development would have a permanent impact upon the natural environment and it would be for the Local Planning Authority to determine if this impact is acceptable and seeks to protect and enhance features of interest as well as meeting statutory duties set out under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.

Matters of landscaping are for consideration at a reserved matters stage whereby by it would be necessary to ensure that landscape proposals consider the impact of the development upon landscape character. It would also be for the determining authority to maximise opportunities for landscaping to be retained and mature in perpetuity, having regard also to providing long term opportunities for biodiversity enhancements. With no strategic impact upon the BDBC area at this outline stage, no objection is raised.

Historic Environment

The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires consideration of a proposal upon the setting of a heritage asset, which could comprise a listed building or conservation area. This requirement is reflected within the NPPF which requires that, when determining applications, account should be taken of the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of assets. When substantial harm is considered to arise, this needs to be weighed against the public benefits.

The outline application was accompanied by a Heritage and Landscape Study as part of the Environmental Assessment which considers known and potential assets which could be affected by the proposed development. These assets include the Grade I House and Grade II Registered Park of Sandleford Priory, and Grade II listed buildings of Warren Lodge Presbytery, Squirrel Cottage and Sandleford Place which lie wholly within the boundary of West Berkshire Council and are therefore matters for consideration by the determining authority. No strategic objection is raised on heritage matters at this outline stage.

Infrastructure

Matters relating to the provision of new infrastructure to address matters such as drainage, utilities and communications would be site specific and for the determining authority to consider in consultation with the relevant statutory authorities.

Community Infrastructure Requirements

It is common to anticipate that new development would by way of Obligation (legal agreement) make appropriate provision/improvements to mitigate the impact of the development in line with the advice provided within the NPPF. Where mitigation is sought, due consideration has to be given to the tests as set out within the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2015, namely that a planning obligation must be (a) necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms; (b) directly related to the development; and (c) fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development. It would be for the determining authority to agree and secure any necessary obligations.

Conclusion

It is for the determining authority (West Berkshire Council) to assess the merits of the proposals against its adopted planning policies. The full assessment of the application is provided within that application, which is yet to be determined. For the purposes of this strategic Out of Borough Consultation, no objections are raised to the application to be determined by West Berkshire Council.

Signed: KFG

Name: Katherine Fitzherbert-Green Case officer

Date: 30.07.2018

Signed: LMS

Name: Lisa Souden APM

Date: 02/08/2018